Let's talk About Creativity Part 1

I've been hearing so much about Elizabeth Gilbert's book,(author of Eat, Love and Pray ) Big Magic that I had to read it myself.



I'm so thrilled to have a discussion about creativity.
It's about time...

I feel that I have a certain level of creativity that I have learned or inherited from my father, a scientist. Yes, science. You don't usually think of anything but "the arts" as being creative but it's just not true. (I saw a lot of creative people on last night's republican debate.)

Anyway, as a child I listened from my bed as my father paced the kitchen floor each night engaging in long problem solving discussions with himself. I see creativity a lot like that.

When I am doing a chore that is mundane and repetitious like brushing my teeth, showering, or driving a car for a long period of time my brain gets to a point of relaxation - it is there that I can hear ideas. Once an idea is heard you need to play with it, get acquainted with it, introduce yourself with it.

Elizabeth describes creativity as ideas floating around landing on someone for awhile like a butterfly. You engage that creativity or it will fly away and land on someone else. I'm okay with the idea that a thought comes to you but that it attaches to someone else if you don't engage it?  I don't buy that. I think that as people we are not as unique as we like to think we are. There are 7.3 billion people on the planet. You think no one else has had similar thoughts as yours?


Still, I'm enjoying the book and many of the points she makes. When talking about courage and fear she says;

" Your fear will always be triggered by your creativity, because creativity asks you to enter into realms of uncertain outcome, and fear hates uncertain outcome."

Okay, I buy this. But not at first. At first, an idea is hypnotizing, exciting. It's a high, some wonderful drug that has no harmful effects - except that it uses time. Fear creeps in only when reality has once again settled back into your being and you ask yourself; am I crazy? Will this work?

I have two theme songs for my art. One is George Benson's On Broadway.  He talks about knowing that you can do your craft, "play this here guitar", paint your paintings, but it takes a lot more than that to make it in the business. George signs about not giving up. I've loved that song since it first came out about 35 years ago. It's my fight song.

But when I quit my job to devote my time to painting full time I was full of fear. It was then that I found Phillip Phillips song Home. I helps me to ignore those demons in my head that say I can't do it. This song seems to pop up on the radio at times when I need it the most to remind me to stay the course.

Hold on, to me as we go
As we roll down this unfamiliar road
And although this wave is stringing us along
Just know you're not alone
Cause I'm going to make this place your home

Settle down, it'll all be clear
Don't pay no mind to the demons
They fill you with fear
The trouble it might drag you down
If you get lost, you can always be found

Just know you're not alone
Cause I'm going to make this place your home

Read more: Phillip Phillips - Home Lyrics | MetroLyrics

 

More on Big Magic next week. Meanwhile, tell me about your creativity. Have your read the book?   What are your thoughts? 

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